Representatives of the Temiar community in Gua Musang, Kelantan, were received by Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad at his office after waiting for about seven hours.

It was understood that Mahathir had a packed schedule today and could only afford to meet them after chairing the cabinet meeting.

The Temiar community had turned to Mahathir for help following a long-standing dispute over land rights which was exacerbated after a recent standoff with a durian plantation company.

Mahathir told reporters later that he had received five representatives in his office and told them that he would try to resolve their problems but conceded that the PAS-controlled Kelantan government had the final say over land matters.

"The Kelantan government is not under Pakatan Harapan. If we were to do anything, it would require negotiations with the PAS government in Kelantan. We will try to resolve the matter in accordance with the law.

"The federal government sympathises with the Orang Asal (in Gua Musang). If we had the power to, we would act immediately," he said.

Some 220 members of the Temiar community had been gathering in Putrajaya since this morning for a chance to air their grouses to the prime minister.

They are claiming rights over their ancestral land which has been alienated for loggers and plantation firms.

The Temiar community had set up blockades at Pos Tohoi to prevent a durian plantation company from accessing their land but it was demolished on Aug 4.